Evil Monarch Wields Nine Yangs 23: The Moon Poem And Li Hu's Life Is At Risk

Li Xing put a lot of efforts in studying in his previous life and learned several hundred of cla.s.sical poems by heart. He stands up as he searches from memory, and soon a few come to mind.

Slowly, he starts reciting, “How rare the moon, so round and clear! With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky, ‘I do not know in the celestial sphere, what name this festive night goes by?’...”

It was written by Li Xing’s favorite poet, Su Shi. He has memorized many of Su’s works and the one he is reciting is t.i.tled Prelude to Water Melody.

The condescending look on Qian Bixie’s face fades away. He sits there in a stiff position, looking completely amazed.

After Li Xing finishes reciting, Qian Bixie can’t stop mumbling the lines, “I only pray our life be long, and our souls together heavenward fly!...”

All of a sudden, the boy stands up and makes a long bow to Li Xing with his hands folded in front, apologizing, “Please forgive me for being ignorant of a true talent. Warrior Li is a real master of poetry. I salute you!”

Li Xing didn’t expect this reaction from Qian Bixie. Knowing the boy must have mistaken the poem as his, he says with a smile, “I already said this poem was written by someone else named Su Shi."

Qian Bixie laughs, saying, “If that man called Su Shi really had written such excellent lines, he would have long been famous, and I would have heard of him. A talented poet like Warrior Li doesn’t have to be modest and pretend your works as others’.”

The boy’s compliment makes Li Xing think, “If I pretend all the great poems are mine, I may earn myself fame and wealth in this life. But a poet is not strong enough in this world, and that’s not what I aim for.” Thinking of this, Li Xing shows little interest in explaining himself, and just smiles.

“Warrior Li, I didn’t quite catch the t.i.tle. What is it?” Qian Bixie asks.

“Prelude to Water Melody,” Li Xing answers.

Qian Bixie seems beside himself with excitement, saying loudly, “Warrior Li, no, Brother Li, please have a seat. I’m going to write to Murong Jiaojiao right away. I can’t imagine her expression when she sees the poem, haha…”

Qian Bixie can’t wait and rushes off to his study immediately, leaving Li Xing all alone in the pavilion. So he starts practicing blood again.

For the first time, the knowledge Li Xing learned in his previous life seems to have started changing his life. But he doesn’t care about that at all. The most important thing for him right now is to further improve himself and to become stronger. Everything else seems trivial and isn’t worth paying attention to. 

Another day pa.s.ses. After spending almost the whole day practicing at the Qian’s, Li Xing takes his leave and returns to Three Chivalries Garden after nightfall.

On his way back, Li Xing can feel everyone around is staring at him with the same strange look. He is aware that by publicly challenging Li Jie, he has made himself a hot topic of conversation in the city.

Li Xing can’t care less about what others think, and decides not to pay attention.

The moment Li Xing is back to Purple Bamboo Community, Xiaoxiu runs over with a tear-stained face and swollen red eyes.

Li Xing is taken aback and asks immediately, “Xiaoxiu, what happened?”

Xiaoxiu starts crying, saying, “Young Master, Li Hu was beaten and seriously wounded. The doctor couldn’t help him…”

Li Hu grew up together with Li Xing and is also the closest person to Li Xing among all his peers, besides Xiaoxiu.

Li Xing rushes to the stone cottage, only to find Li Hu is covered with blood all over his body. After a close examination, he finds out that Li Hu’s internal organs are all badly damaged and most of his bones broken.

Li Xing’s eyes are filled with blood. All the memory about Li Hu starts flooding back.

“Who did this?” Li Xing asks in a sunken voice that resembles the most freezing cold ice on earth.

Wiping away her tears, Xiaoxiu says, “It’s Li Jie’s servants. Earlier today Li Hu heard others talk about Young Master’s plan to challenge Li Jie. He cut in to defend you. A few men were pa.s.sing by and heard him, so they beat him up.”

“What did he say?” Li Xing asks.

“Li Hu said, ‘Young Master Xing will definitely win…’” Xiaoxiu looks at Li Xing in earnest and continues, “Young Master, you have to win!”

Li Xing clenches his teeth, saying, “Of course I will!” Then he says to the girl, “Xiaoxiu, go get some hot water. I will save Li Hu’s life.”

Xiaoxu can’t believe what she just heard. “Young Master, are you able to do that?”

Li Xing smiles mysteriously, “You will find out later. Just get the water.”

Xiaoxiu doesn’t get her answer, but as the obedient servant she is, she stops asking and rushes off to get hot water.

Li Xing reaches to the pouch on his body, thinking, “These are the only intimate people I have in Purple Bamboo Community. I must keep Li Hu alive!” He takes out the pouch and puts it on Li Hu’s chest.

“It’s time to find out whether the bead will work on Li Hu as well,” Li Xing waits anxiously. The bead saved his life, but it’s not guaranteed it can also save Li Hu’s.

Second after second ticks away and after around five minutes, Li Xing clearly sees Li Hu’s wounds are healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. 

Greatly excited, Li Xing doesn’t move and keeps observing the change taking place on Li Hu’s body. 

A night pa.s.ses, during which time Li Xing keeps cleaning the blood on Li Hu’s body with hot water. Due to the inconvenience, Xiaoxiu stays outside the room, leaving Li Xing take care of him.

The next day comes. When the sun rises, Li Hu opens his eyes. He jumps to his feet right away and looks at his own body in amazement, all the while muttering, “Am… am I dreaming?” He clearly remembers he was injured, but why does it look like nothing has happened?

Li Xing, who remained at Li Hu’s bedside all night, asks with a smile, “Li Hu, how do you feel?”

Li Hu immediately sits down and looks at Li Xing, eager to know the answer, “Young Master, wasn’t I… injured?”

“Yes, you were.” Li Xing says, suddenly looking serious. “But I healed you with something special. You can never tell this to another soul, including Xiaoxiu. Do you understand?”

“Alas!” Li Hu is astonished, wondering what kind of thing is so special and magical that it can completely fix a person’s wounds.

The boy is still baffled, but when he sees the serious look on Li Xing’s face, he realizes he should stop asking questions. So he nods his head sincerely, “Yes, I understand. I won’t tell anyone even if I die.”

Li Hu feels deeply grateful to Li Xing for saving his life. The two were already very close to each other before, and after this time, Li Hu becomes even more loyal to Li Xing. 

Li Xing pats Li Hu on the shoulder and says casually, “Li Hu, you can try practicing blood. If you are willing to work hard, you will succeed.”

A depressed look comes to Li Hu’s face after he hears “practicing blood”, and he replies, “Young Master, you should know I’m not blood practicing material. I can’t even do blood listening, let alone practicing.” With a sigh, he continues, “I might as well remain a n.o.body for the rest of my life, not able to practice blood, to become a brave warrior or a country warrior…”

After saying this, Li Hu raises his head, with a smile returning to his face, “Thank G.o.d! You are able to practice blood. I believe you will be someone great someday just like Second Elder Master!”

The fact that Li Xing is able to practice blood is already no secret to Xiaoxiu and Li Hu. Even Li Jie also sensed Li Xing is no longer a “total loser” and able to fight back sometimes. 

He just never expected that today’s Li Xing is already a brave warrior with level three blood power.

Li Xing smiles, “Li Hu, we can never lose hope. Why don’t you try right now and see if you can do blood listening? I was unable to practice blood either, but now I’ve reached the third level.”

His words give Li Hu hope, with a high spirit, he nods his head saying, “All right, Young Mater. I will try now!”

Li Hu sits straight on the bed with his legs crossed, eyes closed and attention focused, trying to “listening to” his blood.

One minute pa.s.ses, then two minutes. After more than ten minutes, Li Hu is about to give up when suddenly he hears a peculiar sound from inside, and gradually, more sound follows.

At the beginning, Li Hu couldn’t believe his ears, but finally, he’s sure that is the sound of blood flowing in his body.

Unable to contain himself, Li Hu jumps to his feet, mad with joy, “I heard it! I heard it! Young Master, I heard it!” Then tears fill his eyes. He holds his head and starts crying with abandonment.

Unable to practice blood means a person will never have status, wealth or dignity. As a servant in Three Cavalries Garden, Li Hu comes from humble backgrounds and he also lost both his parents. If he is unable to practice blood, he will never be able stand up straight as a man.

Li Xing fully understands Li Hu, because not long ago, he was also what people call a waste of a man unable to practice blood.

Patting Li Hu on the shoulder, Li Xing says in a low, encouraging tone, “Li Hu, a man should never waste his tears for nothing. Now that you are able to practice blood, you must continue and work harder. Who knows, maybe someday you will become a legend in Three Chivalries Garden!”

Li Hu raises his head, and for a second, he doesn’t quite know what to say and just nods his head. Later he vows, “Young Master, I, Li Hu, will do anything for you. I own my life to you, and you can take it away anytime you want.”

Li Hu is no fool. The fact that he is suddenly able to practice blood after Li Xing healed his wounds as if he hadn’t been injured in the first place makes him wonder: perhaps Young Master asked Second Elder Master for help, or perhaps Young Master used some other way to save his life.

But there is no need for him to know more, all he needs to remember is that Li Xing saved him and that Li Xing made him able to practice blood.

Li Xing looks into Li Hu’s eyes and nods with satisfaction. He knows that Li Hu is obviously very smart, and he is also well aware of the boy’s integrity.

“Li Hu, go back to blood listening,” Li Xing smiles, and with no further words, he steps out of the stone cottage.

It is already broad daylight. Li Xing finishes his breakfast hastily, and after telling Xiaoxiu to prepare some food for Li Hu, he heads straight to Qian Yi’s house.

Thinking it is inappropriate to just show up and do nothing given that he is paid to be a tutor, Li Xing decides to recite a poem from memory each day to Qian Bixie.

Qian Bixie is already amazed after hearing the first piece from Li Xing. And after hearing the second one, he is utterly filled with admiration, because even the most talented poet can barely write such fascinating lines in a row.

For ten days straight, Li Xing reads out a piece each day, complete blowing Qian Bixie’s mind. The boy is so impressed that he looks up to Li Xing as he is an alien.

During the ten days, Li Xing has a lot of spare time. After he recites a poem, he can spend the day practicing blood in the pavilion. Apart from the time spent on eating, he spends all his days and nights practicing.

Through his hard work, he is finally able to break all the sinewy meridians, completing the third crucial step of blood practicing.

Accordingly, Li Xing’s thunder force also reaches the third level.

The ultimate fist combative skills consist of two parts, one about internal force cultivation and the other about physical movement training, and both are very important.

At night, the moon shines bright high in the sky. Li Xing stands in the middle of an empty s.p.a.ce in the bamboo grove and starts practicing fist skills.

There are only ten moves and each of the next moves carries greater power that the last. And as one keeps practicing, higher level of blood power is required in the process.  

The first move requires at least the first level of thunder force; and the second move requires level two thunder force. As for the tenth move, one needs at least level ten thunder force. A combination of the thunder force and the fist moves can have the highest power in combat.

The first move is called lightning strike that can hit an enemy target at an extremely fast speed with strong force. 

Li Xing steers his blood essence according to what the book instructs, moves his feet and swings his fist straight forward. 

Boom!

That red flash reappears from his clasped hand, accompanied by a thunderous sound. However, both the strength and force of Li Xing’s fist swing have fallen short of the instructions in the book.

“Fist training is equally important, and I won’t give up after only one or two attempts!” Having learned the instructions by heart, Li Xing keeps trying, over and over again.

Time pa.s.ses quickly and soon it is broad daylight again. After a night of practice, Li Xing basically mastered the first three moves, namely the lightning strike, the lightning drilling and the lightning crumbling.